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'Northanger Abbey': What's on Isabella and Catherine's reading list?
"Dear creature! How much I am obliged to you; and when you have finished Udolpho, we will read the Italian together; and I have made out a list of ten or twelve more of the same kind for you."
"Have you, indeed! How glad I am! What are they all?"
"I will read you their names directly; here they are, in my pocketbook. Castle of Wolfenbach, Clermont, Mysterious Warnings, Necromancer of the Black Forest, Midnight Bell, Orphan of the Rhine, and Horrid Mysteries. Those will last us some time."
"Yes, pretty well; but are they all horrid, are you sure they are all horrid?"
"Northanger Abbey's" Catherine and Isabella formed a veritable book club, bonding over "horrid" books. What are these books about? (Bonus: Some of these are available free online!)
The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794): In Ann Radcliffe's classic novel, Emily St. Aubert falls for Valencourt, a mysterious handsome stranger. But she is forced to live with her aunt and hard-hearted uncle in her uncle's gloomy castle — and must stave off the efforts of an brigand who aims to make her his own.
The Italian, or the Confessional of the Black Penitents (1797): Ann Radcliffe's Gothic romance — the last of her novels published in her lifetime — centers on two lovers, Vincentio di Vivaldi and Elena di Rosalba, who find their love tested when an evil monk (yes, evil) is hired by Vincentio's mother to tear them apart. The monk, Schedoni, will go to any lengths to break up the lovers. Professor Nick Groom, editor of the Oxford World's Classics edition of "The Italian", says the novel is "one of the most suspenseful novels written in English."
The Castle of Wolfenbach (1793): Eliza Parson's tale follows Matilda, a young woman who runs away after her uncle attacks her. She finds herself at the Castle of Wolfenbach, where she discovers the Countess, who has been held hostage by her husband for 19 years.
Clermont (1798): In Regina Maria Roche's novel, innocent heroine Madeline lives a secluded life with her father, Clermont. When Madeline goes to live with a rich Countess to receive an education, a stranger offers her a choice: Marry him, or her father's mysterious past is revealed. Roche also wrote "The Children of the Abbey" — a title that may sound familiar: Harriet namechecks it in "Emma."
The Mysterious Warning (1796): Eliza Parson's story features some familiar tropes: The disinherited Ferdinand hears a voice warning him to leave his brother and his wife. Later he comes upon a haunted castle, is kidnapped and meets femme fatale Fatima — all before he returns home to uncover the secret between his brother and his wife.
The Necromancer; or, The Tale of the Black Forest (1794): Karl Friedrich Kahlert wrote this collection of lurid stories about ghosts and magic — all connected by Volkert the Necromancer, who has seemingly come back from the dead. The tales are framed as stories within a story or as epistolary stories, a format similar to that of other Gothic novels, including Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein."
The Midnight Bell (1798): In Francis Lathom's novel, Alphonsus Cohenburg is exiled from his home after he discovers his uncle has killed his parents. On his journey, Alphonsus becomes a soldier (and later a miner) and then falls in love with a woman who is later kidnapped by bandits.
The Orphan of the Rhine (1798): Eleanor Sleath's novel follows Julie de Rubine, a woman raising her out-of-wedlock son in seclusion when she agrees to care for an orphan with — wait for it — a mysterious past. When she grows up, the orphan, Laurette, aims to find her parents. The story also includes a kidnapping, a lecherous marchese and a gloomy castle.
Horrid Mysteries (1796): Carl Grosse's novel centers on Marquis of Grosse, who becomes enmeshed in a secret society that revels in mayhem and world domination.
Food references in Jane Austen's novels


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La princesa Astrid de Noruega (en noruego: Astrid Maud Ingeborg av Norge; Oslo, 12 de febrero de 1932) es la segunda de los hijos del rey Olaf V y la princesa heredera Marta, hermana de la princesa Ragnhild y del actual rey Harald V.

Biografía

Nacimiento
Nació el 12 de febrero de 1932 en Villa Solbakken, Oslo.

Bautismo
Fue bautizada el 31 de marzo de 1932 en la capilla del Palacio Real de Oslo y sus padrinos fueron: el rey Haakon VII de Noruega (su abuelo paterno), la reina Maud de Noruega (su abuela paterna), el príncipe Carlos de Suecia (su abuelo materno), la princesa Ingeborg de Dinamarca (su abuela materna), la princesa Astrid de Suecia (su tía materna), la princesa Isabel, duquesa de York, la princesa Thyra de Dinamarca, el príncipe Eugenio de Suecia y el príncipe Jorge de Kent.

Recibió los nombres de Astrid Maud Ingeborg. Astrid por su tía, la princesa Astrid de Bélgica, Maud por su abuela paterna, la reina Maud de Noruega, e Ingeborg por su abuela materna, la princesa Ingeborg de Dinamarca.

Hermanos
 Ragnhild Alejandra, nacida el 9 de junio de 1930
 Harald, nacido el 21 de febrero de 1937, actualmente rey de Noruega

Primeros años
La princesa se crio en la residencia real de Skaugum, cerca de Asker, al oeste de Oslo.

Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial huyó de la invasión alemana en Noruega junto con su familia, en 1940. Pasó los años de exilio junto con su madre y sus hermanos en Washington D.C

Estudios
La princesa sufrió de dislexia, y comenzó sus estudios en los Estados Unidos. Después de la guerra estudió economía e historia política en la Universidad de Oxford.

Princesa de Noruega
Desde 1957 y durante los primeros años del reinado de Olaf V, Astrid hizo las veces de primera dama, acompañando a su padre en las actividades oficiales, puesto que su madre, la princesa Marta, había fallecido en 1954, y su hermana mayor, Ragnhild se había distanciado de la familia tras casarse con un ciudadano no noble, Erling Sven Lorentzen.

Durante el retiro del rey Harald V en 2005 por motivos de salud, la princesa Astrid participó en algunas actividades como representante de la familia real.

Es patrocinadora de varias organizaciones, y particularmente se ha interesado por ayudar a niños y jóvenes con dislexia.

Un área de 580.000 km² en la Antártida, recibe el nombre de Costa de la Princesa Astrid en su honor.

La princesa reside actualmente en Nordmarka, Oslo.

En 2002, el Gobierno otorgó a la princesa una pensión honoraria en reconocimiento a todos sus esfuerzos en nombre de Noruega durante y después de sus años como primera dama.

Matrimonio y descendencia

Boda
Astrid se casó el 12 de enero de 1961 con el medallista olímpico, Johan Martin Ferner, y divorciado de Ingeborg Hesselberg-Meyer. Con ese acontecimiento, perdió el tratamiento de Su Alteza Real, su posición como primera dama, y el derecho en la sucesión al trono noruego, aunque conservó su puesto en la sucesión al trono británico (su abuela, la reina Maud de Noruega, era una princesa británica), y su lugar dentro de la familia real noruega. En la actualidad tiene el tratamiento de Su Alteza la Princesa Astrid, Señora Ferner.

Hijos y nietos
 Cathrine Ferner (nacida el 22 de julio de 1962 en Oslo), casada el 9 de diciembre de 1989 en Oslo con Arild Johansen (nacido el 18 de junio de 1961 en Oslo). Tienen dos hijos:
 Sebastian Ferner Johansen (nacido el 9 de marzo de 1990 en Oslo).
 Madeleine Ferner Johansen (nacida el 7 de marzo de 1993 en Oslo).
 Benedikte Ferner (nacida el 27 de septiembre de 1963 en Oslo), casada por primera vez el 30 de abril de 1994 en Oslo (divorciada en 1998) de Rolf Woods (nacido el 17 de junio de 1963 en Oslo). La pareja no tuvo hijos. Se casó en segundas nupcias con Mons Einar Stange (nacido el 26 de mayo de 1962 en Oslo), el 2 de diciembre de 2000 (separados en 2002). Sin descendencia.
 Alexander Ferner (nacido el 15 de marzo de 1965] en Oslo), casado el 27 de julio de 1996 en la capilla de Holmenkollen, en las afueras de Oslo, con Margrét Gudmundsdóttir (nacida el 27 de marzo de 1966 en Reikiavik, Islandia). Tienen dos hijos:
 Edward Ferner (nacido el 28 de marzo de 1996 en Bærum).
 Stella Ferner (nacida el 23 de abril de 1998 en Bærum).
 Elisabeth Ferner (nacida el 30 de marzo de 1969 en Oslo), casada el 3 de octubre de 1992 en Oslo con Tom Folke Beckmann (nacido el 14 de enero de 1963 en Oslo). Tienen un solo hijo:
 Benjamin Ferner Beckmann (nacido el 25 de abril de 1999 en Oslo).
 Carl-Christian Ferner (nacido el 22 de octubre de 1972 en Oslo). Trabaja para el negocio familiar, Ferner Jacobsen AS. Casado el 4 de octubre de 2014 con Anna-Stina Slattum Karlsen (nacida el 23 de febrero de 1984). Tienen una hija:
 Fay Ferner (nacida en octubre de 2018).

Viudez
Johan falleció en el Rikshospitalet de Oslo (Hospital del Reino de Oslo) el 24 de enero de 2015.

Distinciones honoríficas

Distinciones honoríficas noruegas
  Dama gran cruz con collar de la Orden de San Olaf (1956).
  Miembro de la Real Orden familiar del Rey Haakon VII.
  Miembro de la Real Orden familiar del Rey Olaf V.
  Miembro de la Real Orden familiar del Rey Harald V.
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Jubileo de Oro del Rey Haakon VII (18/11/1955).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Rey Haakon VII (01/10/1957).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Centenario del Rey Haakon VII (03/08/1972).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Jubileo de Plata del Rey Olaf V (21/09/1982).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Rey Olaf V (30/01/1991).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Centenario del Rey Olaf V (02/07/2003).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Centenario de la Casa Real Noruega (18/11/2005).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del Jubileo de Plata del Rey Harald V (17/01/2016).

Distinciones honoríficas extranjeras
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden del Halcón (Islandia, 26/10/1993).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden de la Estrella Polar (Suecia, 16/03/1960).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden de la Rosa Blanca de Finlandia (Finlandia, 08/03/1983).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden del Mérito de la República Federal de Alemania (Alemania, 24/09/1986).
  Dama gran cordón de la Orden de la Estrella de Jordania (Jordania, 10/04/2000).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden de Adolfo de Nassau (Luxemburgo, 02/05/1990).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden de la Corona (Países Bajos, 15/04/1996).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden del Mérito (Portugal, 02/10/1981).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden Nacional del Mérito (Francia, 14/05/1984).
  Dama gran cruz de la Real Orden de Isabel la Católica (España, 12/04/1982).
  Dama gran cruz de la Ilustrísima Orden de Chula Chom Klao (Tailandia, 19/06/1960).
  Dama gran cruz de la Orden de la Corona (Bélgica, 28/04/1997).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del 90 Aniversario del Rey Gustavo V (Suecia, 21/05/1948).
  Medalla Conmemorativa del 50 Aniversario del Rey Carlos XVI Gustavo (Suecia, 30/04/1996).

Ancestros

Referencias

Familia Real Noruega
Princesas de Noruega de la casa de Glücksburg
Miembros de la Orden del Mérito de la República Federal de Alemania
Gran Cruz de la Orden Nacional del Mérito
Damas grandes cruces con collar de la Orden de San Olaf
Damas grandes cruces de la Orden del Halcón
Damas grandes cruces de la Orden de Isabel la Católica
Damas grandes cruces de la Orden de Carlos III
Galardonados con la Orden de la Corona (Países Bajos)
Nobles noruegas del siglo XX
Nobles noruegas del siglo XXI

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The new WWE United States Champion Styles makes his way to the ring. He is swiftly joined by Kevin Owens.
is still visibly smarting over losing his title last week to His rematch is… right now!
Fast exciting match, in and outside the ring.


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IndusInd Bank launches 'QuickPay'
Corporation Bank targets 12% loan growth in FY 16
Karnataka Bank to open 25 e-Lobbies
IndusInd Bank Q1 net profit jumps 25% to Rs 524 cr...
11:14 PM Blogger
IndusInd Bank has launched a service called QuickPay, which enables the bank's customers to send money instantly to their personal contacts and/or business parties through SMS, e-mail and social media.
This does not require the beneficiary bank account details. The sender can transfer money and a personalised message through net banking from the bank's website by just filling the e-mail ID or mobile number of the receiver.
"Moreover, customers can choose to send e-Gift Cards to anyone, anywhere, anytime," the bank said in a statement.
The sender gets a 'Quick code' that is shared with the recipient. Quickpay takes place via NPCI's Immediate Payment Service (IMPS Person to Account), which is instant and 24x7, the statement added. Ritesh Raj Saxena, Head (Savings, Digital & Payments Business), said, "IndusInd Bank's QuickPay is aimed at delighting customers in the digital age. Today's digitally-savvy customers expect payments to happen instantly. This service empowers consumers to send money on real time basis."
Source : Thehindubusinessline
Corporation Bank today said its credit growth is expected to more than double to 12 per cent in the current fiscal.
"With greater focus on retail, SME and priority sector lending especially agriculture, we expect the credit growth to pick up to 12 per cent in the current fiscal," Corporation Bank Chairman and Managing Director S R Bansal told PTI.
The bank recorded a loan growth of 5.8 per cent during the fiscal ended March 2015 as it carried a re—balancing exercises during the year, he said.
The bank's credit portfolio rose to Rs. 1,45,066 crore as compared to Rs. 1,37,086 crore at the end of March 2014. At the same time, the deposits of the bank crossed a level of Rs. 1.99 lakh crore.
"The bank has earned income of Rs. 14.77 crore and expenditure of Rs. 12.70 crore. So we are having profit of Rs. 2.70 crore profit. It is profitable for us," he said.
The average balance in the non—zero balance accounts is Rs. 3,342 per account as against the national average of Rs. 2,435.
He further said the number of zero balance accounts stood at 27.15 per cent as against the national average of 52 per cent.
The bank has issued Rupay Debit Cards to 98.46 per cent of the accounts and passbook has been issued to 89.76 per cent of the accounts opened under the scheme. Besides, 59.74 per cent accounts have been seeded with Aadhaar.
Karnataka Bank Ltd is planning to open 25 e-Lobbies in different parts of the country by the end of the current financial year, according to P Jayarama Bhat, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank.
Speaking at the inauguration of the fifth e-Lobby of the bank in the country at Mulund (West) in Mumbai on Monday, he said the e-Lobby provides essential banking facilities under one roof through self-service automation kiosks.
This is the fifth e-Lobby of the bank in the country and the first one on Maharashtra. The bank has plans to open another 20 e-Lobbies across the country during the current financial year, he said.
Customers can deposit cash and cheques into their accounts and update their passbooks whenever they wish to, beyond banking hours, 24 hours a day, he said.
A press release by the bank said here that Vinaykumar M Rathod, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone VII, Mulund, Mumbai, inaugurated the e-Lobby facility in the presence of Bhat.
IndusInd Bank Q1 net profit jumps 25% to Rs 524 cr
Mid-sized private lender IndusInd Bank reported a 25 per cent growth in net profit at Rs 524 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2015 on the back of strong interest income and lower gross bad loans.
The bank had posted a profit of Rs 421 crore in the year ago quarter.
Romesh Sobti, MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank said, "Inspite of a tough operating environment, credit off-take has increased to 23 per cent."
Last month, the bank raised capital of about Rs 4,400 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) and is in the process to issue preferential shares to raise further Rs 750 crore.
The total of Rs 5,200 crore capital will support organic growth, Sobti added.
This capital will help the bank increase its capital adequacy ratio from 12.43 per cent at present to about 17 per cent.
During the quarter, the bank's loan growth was at 23 per cent driven by corporate portfolio growth of 27 per cent and retail growth at 18 per cent supported by growth in medium and heavy commercial vehicles.
"The growth has come from enhancement of existing working capital loans... Vehicle financing has also improved. Earlier, we spoke about uptick in the segment but now it is about trends (growth). So, the portfolio is moving up," Sobti said.
During the quarter, the core fee income of the bank was up by 23 per cent to Rs 599 crore. Net interest income was up by 22 per cent and non interest income grew 26 per cent.
Recoveries from bad loans helped reduce the gross net performing asset (NPA) at 0.79 per cent as on June end, 2015, as compared to 1.11 per cent as on June end 2014.
Net NPA stood at 0.31% compared to 0.33% y-o-y.
Net interest margin increased marginally to 3.68% in Q1FY16 as against 3.66% in Q1FY15.
By year end, the bank also plans to increase its bank branches to 1,000 from the current network of just over 800 branches. "With the new digital wave, we are remodelling our branches…We are looking at a new construct of branches in the metro and other regions and plan to double the branch network in 3 years," the bank chief said.
IndusInd bank scrip rose 3.27 per cent to end at Rs 923.90 per share on the BSE.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Trump Administration Weighs Allowing Private Suits Against Foreign Investors in Cuba
January 22, 2019 – On January 16, 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement indicating that the Trump Administration may enable a never-before-used provision of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 – known colloquially as the Helms-Burton Act after its original sponsors, Senator Jesse Helms and Representative Dan Burton – to come into effect. That provision would allow U.S. individuals and companies that had their property expropriated by the Cuban government to seek treble damages in U.S. courts from foreign companies profiting from the use of that expropriated property.
If permitted, such lawsuits would represent a major expansion of U.S. secondary sanctions directed at Cuba. The threat of treble damages allowed under the Helms-Burton Act would likely be a major obstacle to sustaining and attracting new foreign investment to the island nation, as well as almost certainly increase friction with important U.S. trading partners whose companies could become the targets of such lawsuits. While there are some notable limitations on the right of action created by the Helms-Burton Act, as well as the unknown impact of "blocking" legislation in foreign jurisdictions, non-U.S. companies with interests in Cuba are advised to assess their potential liability in the event that the lawsuits are permitted.
Historical Context for the Helms-Burton Act
In the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution, between 1959 and 1961, the Cuban government nationalized most of the island's industry. Because U.S. parties controlled approximately two-thirds of the Cuban economy, extensive American property interests – including land, factories, hotels, and personal homes – were expropriated by the Cuban government, without compensation.
In response to these and other acts of the Cuban regime, in 1963 the U.S. imposed a comprehensive economic embargo against Cuba, administered by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. At the same time, the U.S. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission ("FCSC") registered and recorded claims of U.S. citizens against the Cuban government for the expropriation of property or disability or death of U.S. nationals since January 1, 1959. To date, the FCSC has certified 5,913 claims – collectively worth $8 billion with interest – as valid.
Following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union – the Cuban government's primary economic lifeline – the Cuban government amended its constitution to allow foreign entities to own partial ownership interests in certain industries (including tourism, real estate, sugar, and construction) in order to attract outside economic investment. Many of these industries involve property and assets that were expropriated after the Cuban Revolution.
Passage of the Helms-Burton Act
In 1996, the U.S. enacted the Helms-Burton Act. While U.S. parties whose property had been expropriated by the Cuban government have always had a claim against the Cuban government (as adjudicated by the FCSC under Title V of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949), Title III of the Helms-Burton Act created a right of action in U.S. federal courts against any foreign party who "traffics" in property that was expropriated from a U.S. party by the Cuban Government after December 31, 1958.
The term "trafficking" is defined broadly under the Helms-Burton Act to include any person that knowingly and intentionally:
transfers, distributes, dispenses, brokers, or otherwise disposes of confiscated property,
purchases, receives, obtains control of, or otherwise acquires confiscated property,
improves (other than for routine maintenance), invests in (by contribution of funds or anything of value, other than for routine maintenance), or begins after the date of the enactment of [the Helms-Burton Act] to manage, lease, possess, use, or hold an interest in confiscated property,
enters into a commercial arrangement using or otherwise benefiting from confiscated property, or
causes, directs, participates in, or profits from, trafficking . . . by another person, or otherwise engages in trafficking . . . through another person.
Under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, U.S. plaintiffs are entitled to monetary damages of three times the value of their property, which is calculated as the higher value of (i) the amount certified by the FCSC (plus interest), (ii) a value determined by a court-appointed special master (plus interest), or (iii) the fair market value of the property, either at the time it was confiscated (plus interest) or its current market value. In most if not all cases, the current monetary value would almost certainly exceed the values at the time of expropriation and the values as certified by the FCSC.
Suspension Provision
Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, however, also allows the President to suspend that right of action against foreign party "traffickers" of expropriated U.S. property for up to six months at a time "if the President determines and reports in writing to the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days before the suspension takes effect that such suspension is necessary to the national interests of the United States and will expedite a transition to democracy in Cuba." Every President since the Helms-Burton Act became law has continuously exercised this suspension provision, so that the Title III cause of action has never before been active.
On January 16, 2019, however, Secretary Pompeo, acting as President Trump's designee, announced that the administration would only extend the Title III suspension for 45 days past its current February 1, 2019, expiration date. Secretary Pompeo explained, "This extension will permit us to conduct a careful review of the right to bring action under Title III in light of the national interests of the United States and efforts to expedite a transition to democracy in Cuba and include factors such as the Cuban regime's brutal oppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms and its indefensible support for increasingly authoritarian and corrupt regimes in Venezuela and Nicaragua." While it is possible that the Administration could again extend the suspension after the expiration of the 45 days, Secretary Pompeo's statement signals a clear threat that Title III could be activated.
Anticipated Effect on Foreign Companies in Cuba
Non-U.S. companies doing business in Cuba with expropriated U.S. assets could face significant private liability if the suspension provision is allowed to lapse. Given the broad definition of "trafficking" under the Helms-Burton Act, a great number of non-U.S. businesses are likely to be exposed to potential private liability under the right of action. There are, however, several limitations on the right of action in Title III of the Helms-Burton Act that somewhat narrow the potential for liability.
First, while the right of action is not exclusively for claims certified by the FCSC, U.S. parties who were eligible to file with the FCSC but failed to do so, or who filed and were denied certification, are not entitled to the right of action.
Second, while the largest claims certified by the FCSC are worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars (before interest and trebling), according to data from the FCSC, most certified claims are fairly small, with the average certified loss being $272,081. On the other hand, since damages under Title III will include interest accumulated over decades, and can in the alternative reflect a higher current market value, these smaller amounts could turn out to be much larger – particularly when trebled.
Third, the Helms-Burton Act provides a relatively short, two-year statute of limitations that begins to run "after the trafficking giving rise to the act has ceased to occur." To the extent non-U.S. companies doing business in Cuba with expropriated assets are able to divest the business of those assets, those companies might be able to appreciably limit their potential exposure to future liability.
Last, the impact of "blocking" legislation in the EU, Canada, and Mexico is likely to have some impact on the claims process, at least where the "trafficker" is a national of one of these jurisdictions. Specifically, these laws – the EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 2271/96, the Canadian Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, and the Mexican Law of Protection of Commerce and Investments from Foreign Policies that Contravene International Law– may discourage some potential claimants from invoking Title III remedies, either by making it more difficult to discover necessary information or to enforce a judgment. Further, all three laws allow nationals of these jurisdictions to sue to recover any damages they are required to pay under Title III.
Ryan Fayhee
Sanctions, Export Controls & Anti-Money Laundering


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Tripura HC Upholds Compulsory Retirement of Teacher for Administrating Severe Physical Punishment to Student
Tripura High Court in Chandan Shil Sharma Vs. State of Tripura and Ors. — WP(C) No.570 of 2021, refused to interfere in the order of the Director of Elementary Education which imposed punishment of compulsory retirement on an undergraduate teacher for punishing a Class III girl student severely. The court held that the quantum of punishment, imposed on the teacher, was not disproportionate.
The single-judge bench of Hon'ble Chief Justice Mr. Akil Kureshi held:
"In view of such facts, it cannot be stated that the punishment imposed by the disciplinary authority and confirmed by the appellate authority is disproportionate to the proved charge, leave alone being so grossly disproportionate as to shock the conscience of the Court, a parameter which Courts apply for interfering with the punishment handed down by the competent authority pursuant to a validly constituted domestic inquiry."
The petitioner was appointed as an undergraduate teacher in the year 1997. The incident took place in a government school on 06.05.2019 where the petitioner handed severe physical punishment to a Class III girl student for making a mistake in the arithmetic class. The petitioner hit the student with a bamboo stick on her legs, caught her by the neck, and shook her up and down almost choking her, and slapped her several times. The girl was hospitalized as she had a fever along with injuries of the punishment.
The Inspector of School after not being satisfied by the explanation of the petitioner instituted an inquiry against him. On 25.09.2020, the Inquiry Officer recorded his report where allegations made against the petitioner were not resisted by the petitioner and he accepted his guilt. This mode of punishment is prohibited under Section 17 of the Right to Education Act, 2009. The report was presented to the Disciplinary Authority, which by order dated 01.01.2021 imposed punishment of compulsory retirement. The appeal of the petitioner against the order of the Disciplinary Authority was dismissed, leading to the filing of this petition.
The petitioner submitted that Disciplinary Authority should have taken a lenient view as he had accepted the charge and regretted his actions. The petitioner further assured that such incidents shall not occur in the future. The court observed that the quantum of punishment awarded was not disproportionate. The court cannot interfere in orders of competent authority unless the punishment is so disproportionate that it shakes the conscience of the court. The court held:
"The conduct of the petitioner cannot be seen as a momentary loss of discretion on account of some unacceptable but otherwise explainable reason. The petitioner has tried to put it as a one of lapse on his part as something which is conventional though no longer legal. He also attributes his behavior to "sudden provocation" which I utterly fail to understand, appreciate and accept."
The court further held:
"I do not even find that the punishment imposed in the present case is disproportionate, not to speak of being so disproportionate as to shock the conscience of the Court."
Concluding, the court dismissed the petition upholding the punishment of compulsory retirement, holding that assurances of the petitioner that such events will not recur are not sufficient grounds for interfering with the orders of the Disciplinary Authority.
Vaibhav Karadale | Research Intern | EduLegaL
Swapna Iyer | Legal Editor | EduLegaL
Compusory Retirement
Tripura High Court


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Animal Welfare Institute comments on GAP certification standards
January 1, 2011 juanitoG	Leave a comment
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) supports the development of third-party certification programs that improve the lives of animals, however, we have serious concerns about the standards of the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) program and the processes by which they are implemented. Since only Step 1 is required of all producers, the program must be judged by this standard.
In a recent presentation, GAP's executive director Miyun Park described GAP Step 1 as signifying meaningful welfare improvement to conventional, industry confinement production. AWI is concerned about the veracity of this claim, particularly in the case of its standards for meat chickens and beef cattle. Compare, for example, GAP Step 1 for chickens and Perdue Farms, which uses the USDA to audit its compliance with very thin National Chicken Council guidelines for some of its chicken products. Neither GAP Step 1 nor Perdue standards address rapid growth rates. Neither requires outdoor access or an enriched environment indoors. GAP standards are actually weaker than Perdue's in terms of dark periods, ammonia levels, and catching. GAP also falls below Perdue in terms of space: while Perdue has inadequate maximum density requirements, GAP does not have a maximum density requirement. Instead, the GAP space requirement for chickens uses a performance standard which states that "Chickens must be able to express natural behavior, including standing, spreading their wings, turning around, flapping their wings, and preening, without touching another bird." However, flapping wings requires about two square feet, and GAP Step 1-2 birds don't receive anywhere close to two square feet each. A performance standard such as this should state that all, or a measurable percentage, of the birds, must be able to engage in the behavior simultaneously–or a minimum engineering standard (a space requirement) must be tied to the performance standard. Clearly, since the Perdue standards for animal care are unacceptable, then so too are those of GAP Step 1.
Current package labels and promotional materials for other GAP steps are misleading. For example, a brochure describing GAP offered in Whole Foods stores advertises "independent 3rd-party audits of farm, transport and slaughter/processing plants." While Whole Foods has a slaughter standard for the meat it sells, slaughter is not currently covered under GAP standards.
Step 5+ chicken meat is labeled "entire life on same farm," yet the standard allows transport off the farm for up to two hours. Step 3 chicken and pig meat is labeled "enhanced outdoor access," yet vegetation is not required at this level, and there's nothing "enhanced" about small concrete slabs which are acceptable under the standards. Similarly, the label claim for Step 4 beef is "pasture centered," yet confinement in a feedlot for up to 4 months a year is allowed. GAP's executive director claims she did not play a role in the production of the Whole Foods brochure that made the misleading claims. This raises questions about the authority of GAP to control the use of the GAP logo and to ensure the accuracy of the program description by participating producers or marketers, which further undermines the credibility of GAP.
Routine auditing is a fundamental component of certification programs; it is the means by which the program's standards are enforced. GAP offers consumers no information about its audits. We don't know how often audits are conducted or even if all farms are audited, and if not every farm, what percentage of farms is inspected to ensure compliance with even their minimal requirements. GAP's response to criticism seems to be that the program is a work in progress. But all certification programs are in a constant state of research, review and revision. The program should not be marketed based on future plans but rather on what the standards and audit processes are today. If after years of testing, a significant financial investment, and input from a broad range of individuals, the program still is not ready for prime time, then the launch should be delayed until it is ready.
Not only is GAP not a transparent, third-party certification program, it has conflict of interest issues. Several members of its board are producers or retailers with a vested interest in the outcome of decisions. And, to our dismay, GAP is not granting reciprocity for farmers participating in one of the existing animal welfare certification programs, meaning an additional financial burden to family farmers with limited resources who will have difficulty paying the $1,900 inspection fees required to participate in GAP.
A fatal flaw of GAP is the premise that producers will voluntarily improve their animal care practices in order to move up to a higher step. Since there is no requirement that producers move to a higher step (it is optional), and the financial incentive appears negligible, we see no motivation for a producer to expend the time and money required to advance. In addition, AWI suspects that consumers lack both the knowledge and the patience to differentiate between animal welfare claims at the various GAP levels.
Little will be accomplished if GAP standards remain low, consumers shop at the bottom of the scale, and producers fail to move up.
–Cathy Liss, president, Animal Welfare Institute
900 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003
<awi@awionline.org><www.awionline.org>
Humane Farm Animal Care comments on the GAP standards
The Global Animal Partnership multi-tiered animal welfare certification program on close inspection is a disappointment. When the Humane Farm Animal Care "Certified Humane" program was founded, the purpose was to improve the lives of farm animals in food production in both indoor and outdoor housing systems. The Animal Welfare Institute's "Animal Welfare Approved" program was founded to improve the lives of farm animals exclusively through pasture-based family-owned farms. Both programs now make an enormous difference in the day-to-day lives of the farm animals raised under those standards.
For the last few years, Whole Foods' leadership has been talking about the creation of its own farm animal welfare program and claimed it would have the highest standards of all. With Whole Foods being an $8 billion dollar retailer, that was believable. With their buying power, it was thought that they could make a real difference to benefit farm animals by requiring their suppliers to meet high welfare standards. McDonald's and Burger King made a huge difference to humane slaughter by requiring the slaughterhouses where their beef was processed to meet the American Meat Institute Guidelines written by Temple Grandin; those slaughterhouses must be audited by trained inspectors to ensure compliance. If those slaughterhouses do not meet the standards, McDonald's and Burger King will not purchase meat from their plants. With their buying power, McDonald's and Burger King facilitated change. Whole Foods has a similar opportunity to facilitate change in order to improve the lives of farm animals. Considering Whole Foods Market's potential leadership ability, the numbers of advisors who were brought together (including animal welfare experts, scientists, and farmers), and the number of years it took to put this program together, GAP should be able to achieve higher animal welfare standards than either McDonald's or Burger King. However, the GAP standards fall short. It is inexplicable that prominent leaders of the humane community are embracing a program within which some standards are lower than those of the industry it routinely denigrates. In order to be GAP-certified, a producer only needs to achieve Step 1 standards. If a producer meets Step 1, there is no requirement for the producer to continue making improvements in order to achieve higher Step levels (2-5).
GAP standards have not addressed some of the most egregious practices of the meat industry. For example, chickens need sleep. Chickens raised only for their meat (not egg-layers) live a short period of time, usually six to seven weeks, before they are slaughtered. Current industrialized chicken farming practice is to leave the lights on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that the chickens will eat continuously and get to market weight as fast as possible. Unfortunately for the chickens, they gain too much weight too fast, which causes leg problems and constant pain. To remedy this, chicken industry standards require barns to have a dark period to enable the chickens to sleep. The GAP Program has no requirement at all–in any of their five steps–for a dark period.
This is only one example. GAP as of yet has no standards for egg-laying hens or dairy cattle. The space requirement for beef cattle in feedlots is less than current industry recommendations, and there is no space allowance for pigs–even though it is claimed that crating gestating (not farrowing) sows is forbidden in the GAP program. There are no slaughter standard requirements at all for the GAP program. Why would a producer who has secured GAP certification by meeting Step 1 spend the money and make the effort to move up to another Step? GAP is giving industrial-type operations recognition for minimal standards which in some cases provide no benefit to the animals – and, through GAP, these factory operations are securing humane community endorsement too! There is no incentive to meet the requirements of any Step other than the Step at which a producer entered the program. Farm Forward is a separate non-profit organization that works with GAP. Farm Forward and GAP have mutual board members (Miyun Park of GAP and John Mackey of Whole Foods on the Farm Forward Board, and John Mackey and PETA representative Steve Gross of Farm Forward on the GAP Board). Farm Forward is collaborating with GAP to try to persuade more retailers to require GAP certification for their suppliers. Since there are no slaughter standard requirements for GAP, these retailers have to arrange for separate slaughter inspections and traceability audits if they are going to meet other standards.
Retailers who sign onto the GAP program can sell their GAP-approved products to consumers who genuinely care about how farm animals are treated–yet it does not cost the retailers anything, since their producers and suppliers do not have to make any real changes to participate. The GAP standards appear to accommodate industry, and not the well-being of farm animals. There have been many retailers who have required producers to make genuine efforts to improve animal welfare. Many producers have spent large amounts of money to make the changes required by the Certified Humane and Animal Welfare Approved programs in order to actually make a difference for farm animals. Unfortunately, the GAP program runs the very real risk of undermining that work and lowering the bar for farm animal welfare.
–Adele Douglass, founder and president, Humane Farm Animal Care
1039 Sterling Road #201, Herndon, VA 20170
<adele@certifiedhumane.org>
<www.certifiedhumane.com>
Global Animal Partnership responds to AWI & HFAC criticisms
Thank you for introducing ANIMAL PEOPLE's readership to Global Animal Partnership and our signature initiative, the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards.
The primary mission of GAP, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to facilitate and encourage continuous improvement in animal agriculture. GAP strives to change the landscape of animal agriculture through a positive, engaging, multi-stakeholder approach.
We were born from such an orchestrated collaborative effort, initially led by Whole Foods Market leadership, who brought together advisors over a number of years to help guide them in the creation of what would be their own corporate farm animal welfare standards. Whole Foods Market then recognized that greater positive impact could be achieved by working with an international organization. In 2008, Global Animal Partnership was formed as an independent, nonprofit organization with the charge of further developing these standards-and disseminating them beyond Whole Foods Market's own stores.
Our Board of Directors and Welfare & Farming Advisory Council include expert leadership from farming, ranching, retail, science, and advocacy. We're extremely proud and continuously inspired that individuals from such different backgrounds have come together with the commonality of wanting to reduce the suffering of animals in agriculture. We firmly believe that any improvement in the welfare of farm animals is to be lauded, which is why we have tremendous respect for the important work and successes of Humane Farm Animal Care's Certified Humane and Animal Welfare Institute's Animal Welfare Approved programs.
Each assessment program plays an important role in promoting higher animal welfare. However, given the structure of our 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards, we don't believe that a comparison against other schemes is in order. Our signature initiative was developed as multi-tiered standards that, through their very design, promote continuous improvement in animal agriculture. In contrast to single-tiered, pass/fail schemes, our 5-Step Program encourages and inspires producers to continually move up the welfare ladder and thereby afford higher welfare to animals. Additionally, we believe this multi-tiered structure better informs consumers, as well as acknowledges and rewards producers for their welfare practices, which is critical.
Each set of tiered standards (e.g., Step 1, Step 3, Step 5) has its own requirements that must be met before certification to that particular Step level is assigned, if appropriate. Producers have the freedom to aim for any Step level they choose. Each Step rating has its own distinct label-from Step 1 to Step 5+-affixed on products that identifies the particular Step level achieved. I'm thrilled to share that even in our early days, approximately 1,000 farms and ranches have already been certified from Steps 1 to 5, positively impacting the lives of more than 140 million animals annually. It may also be of interest to ANIMAL PEOPLE readers to know that the majority of Step-certified producers are Step 2 or higher.
In order to maintain the highest level of credibility and objectivity, Global Animal Partnership elected not to conduct our own audits and verification of farms and ranches, but rather to work with independent, third-party certification companies. In this way, as the standard-setter, we are best positioned to remain objective and maintain the integrity of our 5-Step Program.
We recently welcomed the successful completion of a two-year, exclusive pilot program with Whole Foods Market of our first three sets of multi-tiered standards-for chickens raised for meat, cattle raised for beef, and pigs. During this period, we have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to test, refine, and grow the initiative, develop processes and set protocols, and engage with and learn from truly welfare-minded farmers. As Wayne Pacelle shared in the article, we are now in the process of revising the original three sets of standards based on key learnings from the pilot and new science, as well as developing three new sets of standards, for egg-laying hens, turkeys, and sheep and lambs. In the near future, we will make the program even more robust by developing breeding and slaughter standards.
Despite our relative infancy and newness in the marketplace, there is already steadily increasing interest in our 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards Program from others in the retail sector, varying from independent local stores to regional and even national chains.
I hope to soon share with ANIMAL PEOPLE readers the announcement of our newest collaborators in the effort to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture.
–Miyun Park, executive director, Global Animal Partnership
<mpark@globalanimalpartnership.org>
<www.globalanimalpartnership.org>
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In the past two years, the US Congress and the European Commission have acted boldly to clear up the murkiness in which natural resource companies' payments to governments around the world are clouded. Lobbying efforts aimed at overturning this progress on both sides of the Atlantic should not be allowed to succeed.
In the US, the American Petroleum Institute, the lobby group for the oil industry, has mounted a rearguard action to engage regulators in a battle it lost against legislators in 2010.
In Europe, too, rule-making procedures give special interests second chances. Last year the Commission proposed similar reporting requirements, now going through the Council and the parliament. Denmark is laudably eager to get the law passed before its Council presidency ends in June. It should not be weakened along the way.
The case for public reporting has long been clear. Fuel and mineral resources hold back the development of countries that have them as often as they promote it. The concentrated wealth they entail is a breeding ground for corruption and waste. Publicity around what governments are paid for national wealth extracted from the ground is not sufficient for managing it better, or for reducing the instability of resource-rich states that also threatens the well-being of importers. But it is necessary.
Many extractive companies are happy to live with this, but the most recalcitrant demand changes. On both sides of the Atlantic the fight is on to reshape the reporting rules so that whatever is published is less informative. In particular, it is suggested that the laws' call for reporting project-by-project details be watered down with overbroad definitions of "project". There is no justification for this: most payments to states are calculated on a project basis anyway, so publishing such detail is no great burden.
What the rejectionist companies most seem to fear is an inability to compete against non-western companies with fewer scruples. If realistic, it would be a concern. But that case has not been proven: an ability to bribe is not the only competitive edge in the industry. Nor is it one either Europe or the US permits. Keeping it hard to expose would not make it more legal.
The position the FT is taking seems clear: this disclosure is the minimum needed to tackle corruption and waste, but not sufficient to eliminate it. To argue against that transparency though is unacceptable: it is to suggest the opacity that permits bribery and corruption is key to competition.
No it isn't. That will always be built on the foundation of open markets. That's why what we actually need is not just minimum disclosure for the extractive industries by full country-by-country reporting. It's time will come; of that I am sure. We are on an inexorable march towards it.
There used to be a time when the historian F M L Thompson could moan in a footnote about fellow historian Harold Perkin making yet another reference to Adam Smith's opinion that when businessmen come together they do so to scheme against the public. That polite spat between two historians of the post-Atlee, pre-Thatcher vintage says so much about what has been lost. Could you imagine two historians, say, in their 40s saying that now?
Are you claiming that you created the concept of country-by-country reporting?
Wasn't the initial call for country-by-country reporting made in 1999?


When the Beal Mountain mine opened in 1988 near Butte, Mont., its owner promoted open-pit cyanide leaching for extracting gold from ore as modern and environmentally friendly.
Pegasus Gold Corp., a Canadian company, extracted nearly 460,000 ounces of gold over the course of a decade before closing the mine and declaring bankruptcy in 1998.
It left behind a 70-acre, cyanide-contaminated leach pond with a leaky liner and tons of rubble that sends selenium-laced runoff into streams, threatening cutthroat trout and other fish. The $6.2 million reclamation bond posted by the company doesn't come close to covering the full cost to clean up the mine, which could total nearly $40 million.
"There is a real ticking time bomb up there," said Josh Vincent, president of a Trout Unlimited chapter near the mine, which sits on U.S. Forest Service land.
Efforts to clean up one of the West's most enduring and dangerous legacies - tens of thousands of abandoned hard-rock mines, many dating to the 19th century - should get a boost from the economic stimulus bill awaiting President Obama's signature.
The final bill, approved by the House and Senate on Friday, contains more than $1.5 billion for construction and maintenance projects in the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Forest Service. These funds will address pollution and safety hazards caused by abandoned mines on public lands.
The three agencies together spent about $25 million on mine cleanup in the budget year that ended Sept. 30, according to the staff of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, one of the lawmakers who sought the funding.
Projects ranging from repairing trails to replacing equipment also are eligible for the money, so there is no guarantee the money will be spent on mine cleanup. The bill specifies that it is supposed to go to projects that generate the most jobs.
Advocates for cleaning up abandoned mines say the work is a strong job generator.
"These much-needed funds will create thousands of jobs, reduce water pollution, eliminate public safety threats, and restore fish and wildlife habitat in rural communities across the country," said Lauren Pagel, policy director for Earthworks, an environmental group focused on mining issues.
The Government Accountability Office estimates there are at least 161,000 abandoned hard-rock mines in Alaska and 11 other Western states, plus South Dakota. Open mine shafts and decaying structures pose safety hazards, while contaminants are polluting streams and groundwater, and piles of tailings tinged with arsenic have been left behind.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it could cost as much as $50 billion to clean up all the nation's abandoned hard-rock mines.


A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors (10) includes a hollow tube (16) with an integral clevis (24) and a bipolar push rod extending therethrough. The tube (16) is rotatably mounted in a handle member which is provided with a manual actuation lever (14). The bipolar push rod includes a pair of spaced apart rods (32, 34) which are insulated along substantially their entire lengths by polypropylene sheaths (35, 35a), and which are insert molded in a distal insulating collar (46) near their distal ends, in a proximal insulating collar (36) near their proximal ends, and in plurality of non-conductive cylinders (35, 35a) therebetween. The distal collar includes a flattened distal portion (50) and the distal ends of the rods are bent approximately 90 degrees and exit the flattened portion. A pair of scissor blades (26, 28) are mounted in the clevis (24) with an axle screw and a nut and are insulated from the clevis and the axle screw.
1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to endoscopic surgical instruments. More particularly, the present invention relates to double acting endoscopic scissors having bipolar cautery capability and to an endoscopic instrument handle with a non-bonded, non-welded ferrule which facilitates a rotating of the tube, clevis, and end effectors relative to the handle.
By 1996, it is expected that more than two million additional endosurgeries will be performed per year that, in 1990, were done via open surgery (MedPRO Month, 1:12, p.178). The advantages of endoscopic surgery are clear in that it is less invasive, less traumatic and recovery is typically quicker. As a result, many new instruments and devices for use in endosurgery are introduced every year. Endoscopic surgical instruments generally include a tube, a push rod which extends through the tube, an actuating means engaging the tube and the push rod for imparting reciprocal axial motion to the push rod, end effector means (typically two end effectors) coupled to the push rod by linkage means, and a clevis coupled to the tube at its proximal end and to the end effector means at its distal end, wherein axial movement of the push rod effects movement of the end effector means in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the push rod. For purposes herein the "distal end" of a surgical instrument or any part thereof, is the end most distant from the surgeon and closest to the surgical site, while the "proximal end" of the instrument or any part thereof, is the end most proximate the surgeon and farthest from the surgical site. The end effectors may be grippers, cutters, forceps, scissors, etc.
Endoscopic instruments may be generally classified as either "single acting" or "double acting". In a single acting instrument, a stationary end effector is coupled to the distal end of the tube and a movable end effector is coupled to the distal end of the push rod and is mounted fo rotation relative to the stationary end effector. In singl acting instruments, a clevis is not required. It is only necessary to provide a rotational coupling between the stationary end effector and the movable end effector. In double acting instruments, two end effectors are mounted fo rotation in a clevis which is coupled to the distal end of the tube; and both end effectors are coupled to the distal end of the push rod.
Many endoscopic instruments are provided with cautery capability. Endoscopic cautery instruments may be monopola or bipolar. In monopolar instruments, both end effectors are electrically coupled to a single pole of a source of cautery current. RF energy is conducted from the end effectors through the patient's body to a remote "body plate". In bipolar instruments, each end effector is coupled to a separate pole of a source of cautery current. RF energy is conducted from one end effector through the patient's body to the other end effector. Monopolar instruments suffer from the fact that the return path between the end effectors and the large area body plated can be unpredictable as the electrical current seeks the path of least resistance. With bipolar instruments, however, the path of the current is very short, from one end effector to the other, and involves only the tissue and fluids in the short path between the electrodes. However, bipolar endoscopic instruments are difficult to manufacture. The end effectors must be electrically insulated from each other and some means must be found to provide a separate electrical connection to each end effector. These problems are most acute in the construction of endoscopic scissors which have blades in virtually constant contact with each other. European Patent Number 0 572 131 Al to Rydell discloses surgical scissors with a bipolar coagulation feature. Rydell,s scissors are single acting. A first scissor blade is mounted on the distal end of a hollow tube and a second blade is pivotally mounted to the first scissor blade. A rigid conductive wire or rod is coupled to the second scissor blade and extends through the hollow tube. The blades are constructed of metal blanks with bonded ceramic insulators insulating the blades from each other along their entire lengths. An insulating pivot member pivotally couples the second blade to the first blade. The rigid rod is covered with an insulating material. Scissor handles are coupled to the proximal ends of the tube and the rod. A first lead wire is coupled to the proximal end of the rod and a second lead wire is coupled to the interior of the hollow tube by means of a copper wave spring entering the proximal end of the tube. As mentioned above, the scissors are single acting, one blade moves as the other remains stationary. The movable blade is pivotally coupled to the stationary blade by a non-conductive screw which enters a threaded opening in the stationary blade or by a conductive screw which enters an insulated threaded opening in the stationary blade.
European Patent Number 0 518 230 Al to Eggers discloses bipolar electrosurgical endoscopic instruments including double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors. Eggers' scissors have an actuating handle coupled to the proximal ends of a tube and push rod and a pair of double acting scissor blades coupled to the end of the tube. The distal end of the push rod is coupled to the scissor blades for rotating them relative to each other. The tube and the push rod are rotationally mounted in the handle so that the tube and the push rod are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the tube. Eggers achieves a bipolar coupling through the push rod alone. Eggers' push rod is a composite of two semicylindrical halves bonded to each other with an insulating layer between them. The insulating layer also covers the outer surface of the push rod to insulate it from the inner surface of the tube. The distal end of the push rod is slotted so as to provide a bipolar fork, each tine being the distal end of one semicylindrical half of the push rod. Facing surfaces of the tines are not insulated and provide the electrical contact surfaces for electrical coupling with the scissor blades. The distal end of the tube has a similar slot for mounting the scissor blades. The scissor blades each have a pivot hole and a slotted shank portion and at least one of the blades is coated with electrical insulation on the surface which faces the other blade. The outer surfaces of the shank portions are not insulated. The scissor blades are mounted on a non- conductive pivot pin which engages a hole transverse to the slot in the distal end of the tube. The slotted shank portions of the blades enter the space between the tines of the push rod and are coupled to the push rod by a nonconductive pivot pin which enters the slots of the shanks and engages a hole in each tine. Movement of the push rod relative to the tube moves the pivot pin in the slots of the shanks of the blades and causes them to rotate about the pivot pin in the tube. The outer surfaces of the slotted shanks rub against the inner surfaces of the tines and make electrical contact therewith. The inner surface of at least one shank is coated to insulate it from the other shank.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a bipolar endoscopic scissors wherein the scissor blades are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the instrument tube. It is another object of the invention to provide a bipolar endoscopic scissors which has relatively thin blades.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a bipolar endoscopic scissors with a reliable electrical connection between the bipolar push rod and the scissor blades. It is also an object of the invention to provide a bipolar endoscopic scissors which has enhanced cutting strength.
It is another object of the invention to provide an endoscopic instrument handle having a ferrule for rotating the end effectors relative to the handle where the ferrule is not bonded or welded to the outer tube of the instrument. It is still another object of the invention to provide a ferrule arrangement for rotating the end effectors of an endoscopic instrument which is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.
According to preferred aspects of the invention, the distal collar is cylindrical at its proximal end with a flattened vane extending distally therefrom. The distal ends of the rods are bent approximately 90 degrees and exit the flattened vane near the distal end of the distal collar which is provided with surrounding steps. The proximal collar is substantially cylindrical with a radial groove and the proximal ends of the rods extend from the proximal end of the proximal collar. The radial groove in the proximal collar engages an annular disk mounted in a spherical opening in the manual actuation lever and the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the distal collar closely matches the interior diameter of the hollow tube. Movement of the manual actuation lever results in translational movement of the push rod relative to the hollow tube and the annular groove engagement of the proximal collar with the manual actuation lever allows for rotation of the push rod relative to the manual actuation lever. The distal end of the hollow tube is provided with an integral clevis having diametrical mounting holes. A pair of scissor blades, each having a distal cutting surface, a proximal tang, and a central mounting hole are mounted in the clevis with an axle screw and a nut. The proximal tangs of the scissor blades are coupled by links to the bent distal ends of the rods which extend from the flattened portion of the distal collar. In order to electrically insulate each scissor blade from the other and from the hollow tube, a flanged bushing is provided between the axle screw and the blades, and a plastic insulator is provided between the blades and the tube. Additional preferred aspects of the invention include: coating the scissor blades with plasma sprayed aluminum oxide, and offsetting the rods in the distal collar relative to a diametrical axis of the collar. The offset provides more room to couple the rods to the scissor blades and also gives mechanical advantage to the scissors.
Figure 9 is an enlarged broken side elevation view in partial section of the distal end of the bipolar scissors of Figure 1 with the scissor blades in the open position; Figure 9a is a cross section along line 9a-9a in Figure 9.
Figure 15 is a transparent side elevation view in partial section showing the handle and actuator lever assembled; and Figure 15a is a top view of the assembled handle and actuator lever of Figure 15.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Turning now to Figure 1, a first embodiment of the double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors 10 according to the invention includes a proximal handle 12 with a manual lever actuator 14 pivotally coupled to the handle by a pivot pin 15. A hollow stainless steel tube 16 is rotatably coupled to the handle 12 and is preferably rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the handle 12 through the use of a ferrule 18 such as described in detail in co- assigned U.S. Patent Number 5,174,300. A push rod assembly 20 extends through the hollow tube 16 and is coupled at its proximal end 22 to the manual lever actuator 14 as described in more detail below. The distal end of the tube 16 has an integral clevis 24 within which a pair of super alloy scissor blades 26, 28 are mounted on an axle screw 30. As will be described in more detail below, the distal end 23 of the push rod assembly 20 is coupled to the scissor blades 26, 28 so that reciprocal movement of the push rod assembly 20 relative to the tube 16 opens and closes the scissor blades 26, 28. It will be appreciated that the reciprocal movement of the push rod assembly 20 relative to the tube 16 is effected by movement of the manual lever actuator 14 relative to the handle 12.
Referring now to Figures 2 through 5, the push rod assembly 20 is seen to include a first stainless steel rod 32, a second stainless steel rod 34, a proximal polypropylene collar 36, and a distal polypropylene collar 46. The proximal end 22 of the push rod assembly 20 includes the proximal polypropylene collar 36 into which the rods 32, 34 of approximately .040 inch diameter are insert molded so that their proximal ends 32a, 34a extend beyond the proximal end of the proximal collar 36. The proximal collar 36 is provided with a substantially cylindrical or spherical portion 38 having a radial groove 40. The manual lever actuator 14 (Figure 1) is provided with a substantially spherical opening 42 and the proximal collar 36 is coupled to the lever actuator 14 by an annular disk 44 which engages the radial groove 40 and the spherical opening 42. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, therefore, that the proximal end 22 of the push rod assembly 20 is thus rotatably mounted relative to the manual actuation lever 14. The relative dimensions of the collar 36, the lever 14, and the first and second rods 32, 34 are such that the proximal ends 32a, 34a of the rods extend through the lever 14 and are exposed for coupling with an electrical connector (not shown) . The lever actuator 14 is also provided with a slot 13 which is orthogonally arranged relative to the pivot 15 and allows the proximal end of the push rod assembly to extend through the lever without interfering with the movement of the lever.
The distal end 23 of the push rod assembly 20 includes the distal polypropylene collar 46 into which the rods 32, 34 are insert molded. The distal collar 46 has a proximal cylindrical portion 48 and a distally extending flattened vane portion 50 terminating in a narrow distal step 52. The overall length of the distal collar is approximately .64 inches with the proximal cylindrical portion being approximately .15 inches long and having an outer diameter of approximately .168 inches. The flattened vane portion is approximately .09 inches thick and the distal step is approximately .035 inches thick. As seen best in Figures 3 and 5, the distal ends 32b, 34b of the rods 32, 34 are bent approximately 90 degrees in opposite directions and exit the distal collar 46 on the narrow distal step 52. The bent distal ends 32b, 34b each extend approximately .325 inches out from the surface of the step 52. It will be appreciated from a careful viewing of Figures 3 and 5 that two diametrically opposite portions 54, 56 of the vane 50 extend alongside of the step 52 adjacent the respective distal ends 34b, 32b of the rods 34, 32. According to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the rods 32, 34 are each covered tubes 35, 35a along substantially their entire length between the proximal collar 36 and the distal collar 46. The tubes 35, 35a are preferably formed from a polyolefin (e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene) or a polyphthala ide (e.g. AMODEL manufactured by Amoco) .
A careful viewing of Figures 3 through 5 will also reveal that the rods 32, 34 are offset relative to both the vertical axes 37 and the horizontal axes 47 of the proximal and distal collars 36, 46. In particular, each rod is offset in a direction opposite to the direction in which its distal end exits the distal collar. The amount of the offset relative to the intersection of the axes is approximately 6.7 degrees and the distance between the central axis of each rod is approximately .086 inches. This offset of the rods 32, 34 relative to the axes 37, 47 of the collars 36, 46 provides more room in the distal collar 46 for the ninety degree bend in each rod and the vertical spacing of the rods gives the scissors more mechanical advantage.
Referring now to Figures 6 and 6a, the "inner" scissor blade 28 has a curved distal portion 28a with an upper cutting edge 28b, an upper proximal tang 28c, and a mounting hole 28d therebetween. A connecting lug 28e extends orthogonally from the surface of the tang 28c in the same direction as the curve of the curved distal portion 28a. The overall length of the blade 28 is preferably .968 inches. The thickness of the preferred blade is approximately .035 inches not including the lug 28e.
Figures 7 and 7a show the mating "outer" scissor blade 26 is configured similarly to the "inner" scissor blade and has a curved distal portion 26a with a lower cutting edge 26b, a lower proximal tang 26c, and a mounting hole 26d therebetween. A connecting lug 26e extends orthogonally from the surface of the tang 26c in the opposite direction to the curve of the curved distal portion 26a. The overall length of the blade 26 is preferably .962 inches. The preferred thickness of the blade is also approximately .035 inches not including the lug 26e. The inner blade 28 is coated with an electrically insulating ceramic coating 28f over its entire outer face, i.e., the part of the blade which contacts the outer blade 26. This feature is seen best in Figure 9a where it can be seen that the cutting edge 28b is actually ceramic. Turning now to Figures 8 through 10, the integral clevis 24 at the distal end of the stainless steel tube 16 includes a pair of parallel arms 60, 62 each having a distal end 61, 63 which is narrowed inward as seen best in Figures 8 and 10. Axle holes 64, 66 are provided in each of the respective arms 60, 62, at their respective distal ends 61, 63. The scissor blades 26, 28 are mounted between the clevis arms 60, 62 by a stainless steel screw 68 which passes through the mounting holes 26d, 28d of the scissor blades and the axle holes 64, 66 of the clevis arms 60, 62. The screw 68 is secured by a nut 70, and both the screw and the nut are electrically insulated from the scissor blades by a pair of hard coated aluminum flanged insulating bushings 72, 74. The scissor blades are electrically insulated from the clevis arms 60, 62 by a plastic (polyethylene or polypropylene) clevis insulator 76. As seen in Figure 10, the distal end of the clevis insulator 76 is provided with a broad rounded face having an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the tube 16. The screw 68 and the nut 70 reside in the recessed area of the inwardly narrowed ends 61, 63 of the clevis arms 60, 62. The distal ends 32b, 34b of the rods 32, 34 are electrically and mechanically coupled to the connecting lugs 26e, 28e of the scissor blades 26, 28 by conductive links 80, 82. Referring to Figures 9, 2, and 5, it will be appreciated that the diametrically opposite portions 54, 56 of the vane 50 prevent rotation of the links 80, 82 around the distal ends 32b, 34b of the rods 32, 34 beyond the point shown in Figure 9 when the blades 26, 28 are in the open position. The connecting lugs 26e, 28e and the links 80, 82 are preferably coated with silicone grease to protect them from saline solution during a surgical procedure.
With reference to Figures 1, 3 and 10, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a bipolar source of cautery current (not shown) applied to the proximal ends 32a, 34a of the rods 32, 34 is conducted through the rods to respective blades 26, 28. The insulating collars 36, 46, the tubing 35, 35a, the bushings 72, 74, and the clevis insulator 76 all serve to prevent a short circuit between the two conductive rods 32, 34 and the blades 26, 28.
Figures 11 through 15a show a second embodiment of the double acting bipolar scissors 110 in various stages of assembly. This second embodiment of the invention relates primarily to the handle 112, the actuator lever 114, the tube 116, the ferrule 118, the push rod assembly 120, and the clevis insulator 176. The distal end of the tube 116 and the scissor blades are not shown in these Figures because they are the same as in the first embodiment described above.
Turning specifically to Figures 11, 11a, and lib, a second embodiment of the push rod assembly 120 is shown with a pair of stainless steel rods 132, 134 which are molded into a proximal collar 136 and a distal collar 146. The proximal collar has a radial groove 140 in its distal portion and an increased diameter proximal portion 137 which carries a pair of electrical coupling pins 139 which are electrically coupled to the rods 132, 134. As shown, the pins 139 are spaced farther apart from each other than the rods 132, 134 so as to accommodate a standard cautery connector. The rods 132, 134 are covered with insulating HDPE tubes 135, 135a along substantially their entire length between the proximal and distal collars 136, 146. A plurality of spaced apart polypropylene cylinders 250 are molded about the rods between the proximal collar 136 and the distal collar 146. These cylinders stabilize the rods against helical twisting when the tube 116 (or 16) is rotated as described herein above and below, and by being discontinuous, prevent against warping of the push rod assembly. The distal collar 146 has a pair of guiding wings 147, 149 which engage slots in the clevis insulator described below with reference to Figures lie and lid. A portion 132a, 134a of each rod 132, 134 which is molded into the distal collar 146 is flattened to stabilize the collar relative to the rods. It will be appreciated that this second embodiment of the push rod assembly can be used with the first embodiment of the handle and ferrule described above with reference to Figure 1 or with the second embodiment of the handle and ferrule. When this push rod assembly is used, a pair of clevis insulators 176, as shown in Figures lie and lid, is used. Each clevis insulator 176 has a proximal side slot 176a and a distal bushing hole 176b. A pair of clevis insulators 176 are placed in the clevis as shown in Figure 10. The side slots 176a are engaged by the guiding wings 147, 149 shown in Figures 11 and 11a.
Referring now to Figures 12 and 12a-12c, a push rod to lever coupling device is formed from two L-shaped members 144. Each member 144 has a circular base 252 with a tangentially extending leg 254. A portion of the base 252 has a circumferential notch 256 which is diametrically opposite to the leg 254. The dimensions of the notch 256 are substantially the same as the end portion 258 of the leg 254. The inner portion of the notch 256 is provided with a floor 260 which extends slightly beyond the base 252 in the same direction of the leg 254. A small ridge 262 is formed on the surface of the floor 260 and a similar ridge is formed on the inner surface 261 of the leg 254 near the end portion 258 of the leg. The inner surface 261 of the leg curves and extends substantially parallel to the base 252 ending at the floor 260 of the notch 256. As shown in Figure 12c and as will be described in further detail below with reference to Figures 14 and 14a, two L-shaped members are symmetrically joined so that the end portion 258 of the leg 254 of one member 144 enters the notch 256 of another member 144.
Turning now to Figures 13, 13a, 13b, and 13c, the handle 112 of the second embodiment of the handle actuator 110 (Figures 15 and 15a) is provided with a through bore 202 with a distal keyway 204. The proximal end of the through bore 202 is formed as a hood 206 having a proximal opening 208 and a lower opening 210. Holes 212, 214 are provided in the lower portion of the hood for receiving a pivot pin as will be described below. As seen best in Figure 13b, the distal keyway 204 is formed by a hole 215, which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the through bore 202, and a pair of diametrically opposed slots 216, 218.
As shown in Figures 14 and 14a, the lever actuator 114 of the second embodiment of the handle actuator 110 (Figures 15 and 15a) has a lower thumb ring 270, a pivot hole 272, and an upper U-shaped opening 274 which is transected by a bore defined by holes 276, 278. The push rod assembly is coupled to the lever actuator 144 by placing the proximal collar 136 in the U-shaped opening 274 so that the radial groove 140 is aligned with the holes 276, 278 substantially as shown. One of the L-shaped members 144 is inserted through hole 276 so that its leg 254 passes through the bottom of the groove 140 and the circular base 252 fits snugly flush with the hole 276. The other L-shaped member 144 is inserted through hole 278 so that its leg 254 passes through the top of groove 140 and its circular base 252 fit snugly flush with the hole 278. When the members 144 are i this position, which is substantially the same position relative to each other as shown in Figure 14c, the ridge 264 on the leg of each member snaps over the ridge 262 on the floor of the notch of the other member. It will be appreciated that the engaged leg and notch for respective L shaped members are held radially together by the inner circumference of the holes 276, 278. When held radially together, the ridges 262, 264 help prevent longitudinal separation of the members. It will further be appreciated that when the two members 144 are snapped together in this way, the proximal collar 136 of the push rod assembly is captured in the U-shaped opening of the lever 114, but the is still free to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the lever and is free to rotate somewhat relative to the pivot axis of the lever.
Referring now to Figures 15 and 15a, assembly of the second embodiment of the handle actuator 110 is completed by inserting the end effectors (not shown) , the tube 116, and the push rod 120 through the through bore 202 of the handle 112 until the sleeve 220 is stopped by the annular stop 224 and the key members 232, 234 extend through the keyway 204. The U-shaped opening 274 in the upper end of the lever actuator 114 is aligned with and inserted into the hood 206 in the handle 112. At this point, the pivot hole 272 in the lever actuator 114 may be aligned with the holes 212, 214 in the handle 112. A pivot pin 115 is inserted through holes 212, 272, and 214 thereby pivotally coupling the lever actuator 114 with the handle 112. It will be appreciated that when the lever actuator 114 is coupled to the handle 112 in this manner, the L-shaped members 144 are further prevented from disengagement with the push rod collar 136 because they are trapped between side walls of the hood 206 of the handle 112.
The ferrule 118 is then slid over the tube 116 and twisted onto the sleeve 220 so that the radially inward projections 240 on the ferrule 118 engage the key members 234 on the sleeve 220. The inclined surfaces of the projections 240 and the key members 234 cause the ferrule and the sleeve to be moved closer together as the ferrule is rotated in a screw-like manner. As seen best in Figure 15a, this movement together between the sleeve 220 and the ferrule 118 is halted by the key members 232 when the distal wedge points 232a tightly engage the proximal surfaces 240a of the projections 240 of the ferrule 118. As mentioned above, surfaces 240a may be provided with ridges (not shown) to further enhance frictional engagement with the wedge points 323a. When the ferrule 118 and the sleeve 220 are thus engaged, rotation of the ferrule 118 results in rotation of the sleeve 220 and thus rotation of the tube 116 relative to the handle 112. Moreover, the space between the proximal end of the ferrule 118 and the stop 224 on the sleeve 220 is such that the ferrule and the sleeve engage the handle with some friction. After the ferrule and the sleeve are thus engaged, the polyethylene ferrule locking cap 119 is slipped over the tube 116 and forced into the distal end of the ferrule 118 until the locking groove 246 engages the locking ring 228 of the sleeve 220. In this position, the splines 230a on the splined end 230 of the sleeve 220 engage the inner surface of the through bore 244 of the locking cap 119 and the inner splines 242 in the distal portion of the ferrule through bore 238 engage the outer surface of the locking cap 119. The force fit of the relatively soft locking cap between the harder ferrule 118 and tube 220, and the distal flange 248 on the locking cap 119 both prevent the ferrule 118 from rotating out of engagement with the tube sleeve 220. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the second embodiment of the invention operates in substantially the same manner as the first embodiment. Movement of the lever actuator 114 relative to the handle 112 effects movement of the push rod assembly 120 through the tube 116, thus opening and closing the scissor blades (see Figure 1) . Rotation of the ferrule 118 relative to the handle 112 effects a rotation of the tube 116 and the scissor blades. Since the distal end of the push rod assembly is coupled to the scissor blades, rotation of the tube 116 also results in rotation of the push rod assembly 120. The L-shaped members 144 permit the push rod assembly 120 to be rotated relative to the handle 112 because the groove 140 in the proximal collar 136 is embraced by the legs of the L-shaped members. Moreover, any resistance which might be offered by the L- shaped members 144 will not risk any helical twisting of the rods 132, 134 because they are stabilized by the polypropylene cylinders 250, described above.
There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors having a handle with a ferrule arrangement for rotating the end effectors relative to the handle. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while a particular handle and lever actuator has been disclosed, it will be appreciated that other types of endoscopic actuating means could be utilized with the bipolar scissors of the invention. Also, while particular insulators been shown at the clevis, it will be recognized that other types of insulators could be used with similar results obtained. Moreover, while particular configurations have been disclosed in reference to the collars, it will be appreciated that other configurations could be used as well. Furthermore, while the invention has been disclosed as having certain dimensions and specific materials, it will be understood that different dimensions and materials can achieve the same or similar function as disclosed herein. It will also be understood that the ferrule arrangement shown and described above with reference to Figures 11, 11a, lib, 12, and 12a can be used with virtually any endoscopic instrument having a hollow tube and a push rod. It will be appreciated that when using other types of push rods, the proximal end of the push rod may be coupled to the lever actuator as shown herein or in any acceptable way known in the art. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as so claimed.
1. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors (10) , comprising: a) a hollow tube (16) having a proximal end and a distal end; b) a bipolar push rod assembly (20) having a proximal end (22) and a distal end and extending through said hollow tube (16) , said bipolar push rod assembly including i) a first conductive push rod (32) having a proximal end and a distal end, ii) a second conductive push rod (34) having a proximal end and a distal end, iii) a non-conductive proximal collar (36) , said proximal ends of said first and second conductive push rods being mounted apart from each other in said proximal collar and extending through said proximal collar, iv) a non-conductive distal collar (46) , said distal ends of said first and second conductive push rods being mounted apart from each other in said distal collar and extending through said distal collar; c) an actuating means (12,14) coupled to said proximal end of said hollow tube and said proximal end of said bipolar push rod assembly for reciprocally moving said bipolar push rod assembly (20) relative to said hollow tube (16); d) a clevis (24) at said distal end of said hollow tube; e) first and second scissor blades (26,28) rotatably mounted in said clevis, said first scissor blade being coupled to said distal end of said first conductive push rod and said second scissor blade being coupled to said distal end of said second conductive push rod. 2. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said clevis (24) is an integral part of said hollow tube (16).
3. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said first and second conductive push rods (32,34) are covered by an electrically insulating sheath (35,35a) along substantially their entire length between said proximal collar (36) and said distal collar (46) .
4. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said proximal end of said bipolar push rod assembly (20) is rotatably coupled to said actuating means (12,14).
5. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 4, wherein: said actuating means (14) includes a handle (12) and a manual actuating lever (14) , and said proximal collar (36) is coupled to said manual actuating lever (14) .
6. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 5, wherein: said proximal collar (36) has a radial groove (40) and said manual actuating lever (14) is coupled to said radial groove with an annular disk (44) . 7. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said proximal ends (32a,34a) of said first and second conductive push rods extend proximally outside said actuating means for electrical coupling with a current source.
8. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said distal collar (46) has flattened side walls (50) , and said distal ends (32b,34b) of said first and second conductive push rods are bent approximately 90 degrees and exit said distal collar through said flattened side walls.
9. A double acting bipolar endoscopic scissors according to claim 8, wherein: said first and second scissor blades (26,28) each have a proximal tang (26c,28c), said bent distal end (32b) of said first conductive push rod is coupled to said proximal tang (26c) of said first scissor blade (26) , and said bent distal end (34b) of said second conductive push rod is coupled to said proximal tang (28c) of said second scissor blade (28) .
10. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 9, wherein: said first scissor blade (26) has a first face, said second scissor blade (28) has a second face facing said first face, and one of said first and second faces is ceramic coated.
11. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 10, further comprising: f) means for insulating said second scissor blade (28) from said clevis (24) . 12. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 1, further comprising: f) a first insulating sheath (35) covering said first conductive push rod along substantially all of its length between said proximal non-conductive collar and said distal collar; g) a second insulating sheath (35a) covering said second conductive push rod along substantially all of its length between said proximal non-conductive collar and said distal collar; and h) at least one insulator (250) mounted between said first and second conductive push rods at a location between said proximal nonconductive collar and said distal collar.
13. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 12, wherein: said at least one insulator comprises a plurality of spaced apart insulators (250) .
14. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 13, wherein: said plurality of spaced apart insulators are molded polypropylene cylinders (250) .
15. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 5, wherein: said proximal collar has a radial groove (140) , said manual actuating lever (144) has an upper U-shaped opening (274) transected by a bore and said proximal collar is coupled to said manual actuating lever by a cross member which passes through said bore and said radial groove. 16. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 15, wherein: said cross member comprises a pair of L-shaped members (144) each having a circular base (252) and a tangential leg (254) , the circular base having a notch (256) which is diametrically opposed to said tangential leg, each of said leg of a respective L-shaped member engaging an opposite side of said groove and engaging a respective notch in said circular base of the other L-shaped member.
17. A double acting bipolar scissors according to claim 1, wherein: said first conductive push rod (32) and said second conductive push rod (34) are are offset from a vertical axis of said nonconductive distal collar.


HERMOSO CHALET EN LA MEJOR ZONA DE BANFIELD OESTE SOBRE TERRENO DE 17.32X56.
CONSTRUIDO EN LA DECADA DEL 7O, CUENTA CON REJAS Y JARDIN AL FRENTE, GGE. SEMICUBIERTO Y PASANTE PARA VS AUTOS. AMPLIO LIVING AL FRENTE CON PISO DE MARMOL, CLOSET, ESCRITORIO/SALA DE LECTURA, TOILETTE DE RECEPCION, COMEDOR CON VISTA Y SALIDA AL CONTRAFRENTE, COMEDOR DIARIO CON VISTA AL FRENTE, COCINA CON MUEBLES BAJO Y SOBRE MESADA CON SALDA AL JARDIN, TOILETTE. ( DESDE LA COCINA SE ACCEDE AL SOTANO Y AL AREA DE SERVICIO ( HABITACION Y BAÑO DE SERVICIO, LAVADERO Y CUATO DE PLANCHADO, TERRAZA Y 130 MTS.2 DE BOHARDILLA.
PA. HALL DISTRIBUIDOR, 4 DORMITORIOS ( PPAL. EN SUITE CON VESTIDOR Y BALCON AL FRENTE), BAÑO CON ANTE BAÑO CON BAÑERA. LOS PISOS DE LA PLANTA ALTA SON DE PARQUET PLASTIFICADOS.
LA PROPIEDAD CUENTA CON UN AMPLIO ESPACIO LIBRE DE 670 MTS.2 CON PISCINA DE MATERIAL.AL CONTRAFRENTE SE ENCUENTRA EL QUINCHO DE 17.23X6. EL MISMO TIENE PARRILLA, COCINA, BARRA, CUARTO DE JARDINERIA/DEPOSITO Y BAÑO.
HACE 4 AÑOS SE INSTALO LA CALEFACCION CENTRAL POR RADIADORES.